Northern Health clarifies policies after leaked memo— Peace River North MLA, BCNU President respond

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. – Northern Health has responded to concerns surrounding the 2023 memo that was leaked on social media earlier this week, while the Peace River North MLA called the situation “unbelievable and unfathomable.”

“This is just another signal that the [decriminalization] experiment that the NDP government has implemented is not working,” said MLA Dan Davies in an interview. “It’s just one of those consequences of that action.”

In a series of posts on X, formerly Twitter, Northern Health has clarified its current policies, which it says were put in place after the leaked memo was sent.

“NH has clear policies for staff re: the Possession of Controlled Substances for Personal Use, that guides staff decision-making and actions if they determine a client is in possession of any controlled substances for personal use while in a Northern Health facility,” the health authority said.

“NH also has policy regarding Weapons in the Workplace, which clearly states: ‘Weapons are not allowed in NH workplaces,’” it continued. “Workers are not required to continue with service or care under circumstances that will present danger or perception of danger to themselves or others.”

The health authority went on to add that all employees and volunteers who know of someone with a weapon in a Northern Health workplace must “act in the best interest of human life,” including calling 911 if they’re threatening or injuring people.

Davies said one health authority adjusting its policies isn’t enough, explaining that he’s heard similar stories from elsewhere in the province.

“We’re hearing that this has impacted a number of maternity wards, where mothers have been impacted by fumes from illicit drugs,” Davies said. “Can you imagine? You’re in a hospital, a safe place where you want to have your child, and you have to worry about someone in the bed next to you doing fentanyl, or smoking whatever illicit drugs, or potentially sitting there with a weapon.”

BC Nurses’ Union President Adriane Gear feels that a key part of the issue is hospitals not enforcing the policies they do have in place.

“There needs to be clear, clear policies in terms of what is permitted and what isn’t, and they need to be enforced,” Gear said in an interview with Energeticcity.ca.

“For me, that is the concern, is that health employers have all sorts of policies, but they’re arbitrarily enforced.”

To read the leaked memo, look below: